The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Vol 61, Issue 4 522-530, Copyright © 1979 by Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc
Gross and histological abnormalities of the talus in congenital club foot
F Shapiro and MJ Glimcher
Gross and histological abnormalities were demonstrated in a club-foot talus
from a boy with multiple congenital anomalies who died when he was nine
days old. Both tali were studied, the one from the club foot and the one
from the normal foot. The gross anomalies involved the smaller size of the
club-foot talus and the increased medial deviation of a stunted, misshapen
head and neck region. Serial histological sections of both tali allowed for
a three-dimensional geometric appreciation of both bones and an assessment
of the nature and extent of histological and cytological features. The
ossification center of the club-foot talus was absolutely and relatively
smaller than that of the normal talus. It was eccentrically positioned,
being more lateral and anterior than that of the normal talus. The marked
histological abnormalities seen in the head and neck region of the
club-foot talus involved extensive breaching of the endochondral sequence
by vessels. The posterior aspect of the endochondral sequence and
ossification center was normal. The extra-osseous and intra-osseous blood
supply of the two tali was normal with the exception of the increased and
irregular breaching of the endochondral sequence in the club-foot talus.
This study demonstrates histological abnormalities in the head and neck
region of the club-foot talus, which was most abnormal grossly. The
eccentric position of the secondary ossification center as well as its
related vascular abnormalities do not support a theory of developmental
arrest of the talus but appear sufficiently abnormal to support the theory
of a primary defect in the cartilage anlage. Clinically, one must bear in
mind that early open reduction of the talocalcaneal navicular joint in a
foot such as this would have served to reposition the navicular onto a
talus that still was structurally abnormal.